1 March 2017

Pastoral Letter regarding the draft doctrinal statement on the ordination of both women and men
 

Dear fellow members of the LCA,

I write to you on behalf of the College of Bishops. I join each of them in thanking God for every one of you and for Jesus into whose death and resurrection we are baptised. We believe that Jesus Christ … is our Lord who has redeemed us, lost and condemned creatures, delivered us and freed us from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil, not with silver and gold but with his holy and precious blood and with his innocent sufferings and death, in order that we may be his, live under him in his kingdom, and serve him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness. [Luther’s Small Catechism, explanation to the Second Article of the Creed]

God gave us the office of the public ministry (pastors) so that we may hear his word, be baptised, and receive holy communion. The Holy Spirit uses these tools to create faith in our hearts.

The LCA has always called only men to be pastors. At three General Conventions of Synod (2000, 2006 and 2015) congregations have put proposals to include women in the pastorate. Each time the vote has failed to reach the two-thirds majority our Constitution requires for a change of doctrine.

In 2015 Synod asked the Commission on Theology and Inter-Church Relations [CTICR] to build on its earlier work regarding the ordination of women and men to develop a draft doctrinal statement for GPC and the 19th Convention of Synod that presents: A theological basis for the ordination of women and men; a theological basis for why the ordination of women and men need not be church divisive; and that General Church Council [GCC] resource it. [General Synod resolution 2015:0216]

Since then the GCC and the CTICR have been working to fulfil the terms of this resolution. The first version of the draft doctrinal statement, with an accompanying commentary, will be ready for church-wide consideration in March 2017. You will be able to download the material from the Ordination. We’re Listening (OWL) website (owl.lca.org.au), along with other documents which include explanations of the present position of the church. These will help you understand why the LCA currently calls only men.

We are preparing an extensive series of local church-wide consultations from March to October 2017. We’ve done our best to cover the widespread geography across Australia and New Zealand, and there should be a consultation not too far from you. You will find the locations and dates in The Lutheran and on the OWL website as they become available.

I invite and encourage every one of you to join the conversation in person by attending one of these consultations. I particularly encourage Synod delegates to attend. Your bishops and members of the CTICR will be there to facilitate, unpack the draft statement, and listen carefully to your feedback.

We will supply printed versions of the documents at the consultations. You can also order the booklet by contacting the LCA National Office (email admin@lca.org.au or phone 08 8267 7300).
Please pray for those preparing the draft statement and the consultations, and for the church during this challenging period. To God be the glory.

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor John Henderson
LCA Bishop

On behalf of the LCA College of Bishops:

Rev Dr Andrew Pfeiffer, Assistant Bishop

Pastor Neville Otto, Secretary

Pastor Mark Lieschke, NSW District Bishop

Pastor Mark Whitfield, Lutheran Church NZ District Bishop

Pastor Paul Smith, QLD District Bishop

Pastor David Altus, SA/NT District Bishop

Pastor Lester Priebbenow, VIC District (including Tas) Bishop

Pastor Greg Pfeiffer, WA Distict Bishop